Sidewalks, man-hole covers and noise ordinances

On an "open-comment" post we had three basic concerns come up that should have their own post to "bring light" on the subject. Please lets us know your thoughts.

Here are the starting comments. I may break the statements up for ease of reading, or typos but have not edited them in any other form or fashion:

"Nowlin Taylor wrote a letter to the editor not to long ago and stated the manhole covers in town seem to be set below the blacktop on our roads causing tire damage and or just an uncomfortable ride when ya hit them....

I have to agree with him...it would not be so bad if one or two had the issue but everyone in town is like that it seems....

I also wonder why the would pave one of the busiest street in town (blue ribbon pkwy) and not put in sidewalks...I live over there and everyday there is always several folks walking down the road causing a path through the edge of the yards.....

I just don't see whomever is making safety decisions or quality of life decisions for our town have their thinking cap on.....the pothole manhole cover should have already been fixed....its not a difficult thing to remedy but has been needing it for several years now...

Bethany lane has 4 with the issue alone between Depot and Madison not to mention the one at that back road into Kroger at Fairfield Pike and further down towards the N. Main light.....maybe its just my pet peeve but.....come on decision maker....wake up!

-- Posted by chefgrape on Mon, Nov 19, 2012, at 11:57 AM

I am guessing here, but would the manhole covers seem to recede as the asphalt builds up? What is the solution for that? Is there a way to build up the manhole?

Regarding the sidewalks, it would seem as good as an official study (person count) that if the grass is worn down and a trail created, there is a substantial amount of foot traffic and the sidewalk should be considered for the safety of the walking and driving.

-- Posted by stevemills on Mon, Nov 19, 2012, at 4:20 PM

I'm of the opinion that sidewalks are appealing to the eye. Now, I won't go so far as to say they are a thing of beauty, they do convey a sense of neighborhood. Kind of a down home look, if you know what I mean.

For instance, I've seen old pictures of downtown areas like Belmont avenue and I imagine strolling down those sidewalks, meeting neighbors, etc. Maybe even walking to the Princess Theater on a Saturday night. Nostalgic, that's the word I'm looking for.

-- Posted by Tim Lokey on Tue, Nov 20, 2012, at 1:20 AM

Well the sidewalk for blue ribbon should also be considered for during the horse show...

there is a solution for the manhole covers in Florida there were steel metal rings the size of the cover they dropped under the cover after paving and created a flush finish....I had a friend that worked for the road dept. in west palm and that was one of his many jobs for them...sidewalks are vary appealing for dressing up the neighborhood in my opinion...even more reason for on a main road to have them...

I would hate to be the one setting in the lawn chair at the four-way stop over here doing a traffic count don't think I can count that fast....

I have also been woke up many a night with thumping music driving down blue ribbon it will rattle the pictures off the wall...I think they need a big sign that says "we are still a neighborhood please consider others and turn it down" placed out there somewhere.

-- Posted by chefgrape on Tue, Nov 20, 2012, at 7:10 AM

Noise ordinances are in many settled communities. I am not a big one for adding more laws, but this at least gives the police some support for asking folks to "turn it down". It is also beneficial to those in the cars who will be hearing impaired somewhere in the not too distant future. :-)

The steel rings sound like just the answer needed. Anyone on the town council reading these things?

You may want to ask the Sewer System instead of the Council about raising the manholes since they own them.

-- Posted by walrite on Wed, Nov 21, 2012, at 9:46 AM

Is the Sewer system independent of the Town? I would have not thought about that.

There is a possibility chefgrape.

-- Posted by stevemills on Thu, Nov 22, 2012, at 7:01 AM

Then the sewer system should know better then to let it go this long...simply said if I do a job I do it to completion with all bases covered so as to not draw complaints or dissatisfaction from those that have to deal with it....maybe it's just me I seem to be a perfectionist but then again I make a good cheesecake and many flavors but I would never ever let one outta my hands that was not perfectly right all around from flavor to looks, even the decorative garnish has to be the right strawberry facing the right direction and the prettiest in the bunch, I guess If your going to make a cake you have to be smarter then the cake or you will get a nasty restaurant review in the local paper. :O).......so listen up sewer guys or gals or whomever is dealing with manhole covers in town...your being called on the block and we could use a I'll take care of it or an explanation please!....oh and thanks for the beautiful color on those manhole covers they are just lovely, but could ya just raise a few of them please so we don't have a blow out and hit a pole and die! It's thanksgiving morning and just the simple things like quality of life in our town would make a great Christmas present for us all I would be vary thankful for it and I would think after two letters Mr.Taylor would be elated!!

-- Posted by chefgrape on Thu, Nov 22, 2012, at 7:37 AM

I would LOVE for the county to have a noise ordinance law. Then maybe we would be able to enjoy being outside and inside our house without having everything shaking due to disrespectful teens who like to blare their thumping sounds as loud as they can. I don't have a big problem with someone playing music while they are zipping down the road. But when you drive slow and thump loud enough that the windows throughout the houses you are passing are shaking .. then something needs to be done!

-- Posted by PrpleHze on Fri, Nov 23, 2012, at 12:51 PM

I have been disturbed several times by that vary issue of the thumpers...I had to rest after cancer treatments and actually had to put my favorite picture back on the wall twice after getting woke up during an afternoon nap to get some strength back....I do have to say that after notifying our wonderful men and women at our PD...it subsided for awhile....now instead of everyday it has gone down to maybe twice a week I get shaken....my house on blue ribbon only has about 30 feet to the road of yard...and I already know some elderly neighbors of mine are disturbed....I was told that in order to actually enforce a noise ordnance you have to have a decibel meter or similar device, however if your disturbing others with aggravating behavior its more like a right to live in peace kinda issue and that can be more cost effective and effective in general then a 20 buck noise ordinance citation...therefore I was not clear if a noise ordinance was worth pursuing....I do know that down blue ribbon they have stopped a few cars......and going back to the sidewalk thingy...I was discussing the subject with a friend about it and she brought up a real good point ...It seems her opinion was that communities that have safe zones,curb appeal and bike lanes, picnic or family areas etc and she emphasized kid friendly sidewalks attract population, growth and industry and businesses to areas throughout the US..."It sure would be nice for Shelbyville to add, or on improving areas, to consider such things so in the long-run we grow and attract industry, tax base etc.for a better and safer community."

-- Posted by chefgrape on Sat, Nov 24, 2012, at 12:11 AM

Steve, the Power, Water and Sewer Systems are all independant of the City. The city doesn't contribute any financial support to the operations, so the Systems have to generate their own revenue for expansions, operating expenses, catastrophes, etc. and that they do that through the rates they charge for the services. Other than appointing the Board, and obtaining grants for them, the City has nothing to do with the operations. It's unique in that it (Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewer System) has it's own charter and I think the only one in the State. Most systems are run by the City, in which they are, and there are Cities that contract out the running of their Utilities.

-- Posted by wcartwright0451 on Sun, Nov 25, 2012, at 5:22 PM

Thanks for the info wcartwright0451. I did not realize that.

-- Posted by stevemills on Sun, Nov 25, 2012, at 7:31 PM

chefgrape, you questioned why sidewalks were not put in on Blue Ribbon Parkway and I'll attempt to explain. The Blue Ribbon Parkway, Stanley Blvd., East Lane Street and the Traffic Lights which will be installed at Learning Way and Madison are being done with STP funds, so that is a State Transportation Project and nothing can be replaced or added to existing conditions it has to go back as it was. Since there were no existing sidewalks they could not be added to the project when it was bid.

I am with you and would like to see sidewalks in our community. I, too, think it adds to the community to have sidewalks but it does get to be quite expensive hopefully someday funds will be available. Getting a grant hasn't been successful as of yet but we still try.

Steve Mills and his wife have one daughter and live on a farm outside of Bell Buckle. They previously owned two coffee/ice cream shops, currently operate an internet sales company and teach classes, but his primary job involves the paper industry worldwide. Hobbies and interests lie in gardening, photography, recorded music and of course, their pets.